Official: Heath Ledger Died of an Accidental Overdose

It’s officially confirmed by the New York medical’s examiner this morning that Australian actor Heath Ledger, whose death shocked the world, died of an “accidental overdose” of perscription drugs. Ledger was found dead in his SoHo apartment on January 22nd, 2008 and was pronounced dead on arrival by paramedics on the scene. At the time, reports were that a large quantity of sleeping pills were found spilled around his body.

“Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam, and doxylamine.

“We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications,” the M.E. said.

The fact that he died accidentally somehow just makes Ledger’s death all the more tragic to me. If he purposely killed himself, then you could at least say he did it, and went out on his own terms, but an accidental overdose is just so much more tragic for some reason.